Matt James, the star of the Bachelor, broke his silence over the growing controversy surrounding the program, as Chris Harrison, a longtime host during a recent interview, remained under fire for continuing racism.
James, the first black star of ‘The Bachelor’, not only exclaims Harrison for his ‘worrying and painful’ words, but also holds the overall franchise responsible for dealing with diversity and race during the two decades in which it has been. -air.
‘The last few weeks have been some of the most challenging in my life, and although there are still several episodes of the season left, it’s important that I take the time to pay attention to the worrying information that has come to light since we filming. James wrote on his Instagram on Monday, hours before a new episode of “The Bachelor” appeared on ABC.
The controversy first erupted earlier this year when former photos of contestant Rachael Kirkconnell – a current frontrunner, who is still running at James season – appeared on social media.ntebellum-themed fraternity formal in 2018. Kirkconnell was also accused on TikTok of racially insensitive behavior, including holding photos with the Confederate flag.
Harrison then sat down in the entertainment news program “Extra” with former “Bachelorette” and correspondent, Rachel Lindsay, who asked Harrison about the controversy surrounding Kirkconnell. During the long conversation with Lindsay, Harrison went to great lengths to seemingly defend Kirkconnell, which led to widespread criticism and led to Harrison apologizing for ‘speaking in a way that perpetuates racism’.
Shortly afterwards, Harrison announced that he would be stepping down from the franchise for an unknown period, including not appearing on ‘After the Final Rose’, which will serve as the final episode of James’ season.
In his statement Monday, James addressed both Harrison and the “incredibly disappointing” photos of Kirkconnell, in addition to the franchise as a whole, which he says “falls short” when it comes to dealing with diversity and race.
“The reality is that I became aware of these situations in real time, and it was devastating and heartbreaking to put it bluntly,” James wrote.
Chris’s failure to accept and comprehend the emotional labor my friend Rachel Lindsay undertook by graciously and patiently explaining the racist history of the Antebellum South, a painful history that every American had to understand intimately, was disturbing and hurt to look at, “James said. prosecute. “As black people and allies immediately knew and understood, it was a clear reflection of a much bigger issue that ‘The Bachelor’ franchise had not received enough attention for years.”
“This moment sparked critical discussions and reporting, raised important questions and resulted in inspired solidarity from The Bachelor Nation,” James continued. “‘It also prompted me to evaluate and process what my experience on’ The Bachelor ‘represents, not only for me but also for all the participants of color, especially the black participants of this season and past seasons, and for you, the viewers at home. ”
James concluded his heartfelt statement by writing: ‘I will continue to process this experience, and you will eventually hear more from me. My biggest prayer is that this is a turning point that brings about real and institutional change for the better. ‘
James had previously spoken about Kirkconnell’s photos on social media, but his initial comments were made before Harrison’s controversial interview and before more information about Kirkconnell came to light – the contestant had not yet spoken about the authenticity of the photos at the time.
“I’ve never talked to anyone since the show ended, but I would say you should be really careful about what you do on social media,” James said in an interview with Entertainment Tonight in early February when asked is about the allegations. “Rumors are dark and filthy and can ruin people’s lives. So I would give people the benefit of the doubt, and hopefully she will have her time to talk about it. ‘
As James wrote on his social media on Monday, he has been discovering new information, along with viewers at home, since the filming of his season.
Shortly after Harrison’s ‘Extra’ interview with Lindsay, Kirkconnell declared her own apology. ‘Although there were rumors going on, there were also truths that I need to address. “I hear you, and I’m here to say I was wrong,” Kirkconnell wrote in part. “At one point I did not realize how offensive and racist my actions were, but that does not excuse them … I was ignorant, but my ignorance was racist.”
As the controversy continues to escalate, many contestants of ‘The Bachelor’ teamed up to speak out against the franchise’s racial issues, including 25 women from James’ season, who have had the most diverse cast to date.
“We are the women of ‘Bachelor’ Season 25,” the women posted earlier this month. ‘Twenty-five women who identify themselves as BIPOC are focused on this historic season that was meant to represent change. We are deeply disappointed and want to make it clear that we are denouncing any defense of racism. Any defense of racist behavior denies the lived and ongoing experiences of BIPOC individuals. These experiences should not be exploited or recorded. ”
ABC has not yet released a statement on the controversy. Variety reached out to the network for comment regarding James’ message.